2023 Solar Incentives Guide for Burlington, NC - Tax Credits & Rebates

What Solar Tax Credits, Incentives, and Rebates are Available in Burlington?

Source: https://www.dsireusa.org/

The term "solar incentives" refers to financial incentives implemented by the government and by solar companies to encourage the adoption and use renewable energy by making solar panels more affordable. Incentives might include things like discounts, cash back or credit on your utility bill each month. Some incentives are offered by the federal government, while others are provided by the North Carolina government or your specific utility company, county or municipality. Some broad categories of solar incentives include:

• Net Metering: Be sure to speak with your Burlington utility company about signing a net metering agreement. This allows you to receive credit towards your monthly utility bill for the value of excess energy your solar panels generate. You may receive either a dollar-for-dollar credit or a percentage of the value.
• Tax Exemptions: These may come in the form of property tax exemptions, which allow you to ignore the value added by your solar panels when paying property tax on your home. You could also look for exemptions on sales tax at the time of purchase.
• Rebates: Rebates, or partial refunds after a purchase, are typically given before any solar tax credits are calculated. These rebates can be offered by your local utility company, by your county or by your state.
• Solar Renewable Energy Certificate (SREC): In general, solar systems that produce more than a specified (generally small) amount of electricity qualify for SRECs or other performance-based incentives. SRECs and similar incentives are typically provided at the state level. SRECs can be sold to your utility company or another buyer, and generally the money you make is normally considered part of your taxable income.
• Tax Credits: Tax credits are dollar-for-dollar reductions in the amount of income tax that you owe the government. (This is different from a tax deduction.)

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Federal Solar Incentives

Federal solar incentives are likely to be the first thing that comes to mind when you think about solar incentives. The solar incentive that you're most likely to have heard of is the Federal Solar Investment Tax Credit (ITC), which gives you a credit on your taxes equal to a predetermined percentage of your solar system's cost.

The ITC applies to the value of a solar system installed on your primary or secondary residence in the United States. The solar panels must have been installed on a property you own after January 1, 2006 for you to claim the credit. Originally, the ITC covered 30% of all costs (panels, equipment, accessories and labor), although this amount has fluctuated slightly over the years between 26-30%. The installation date of your solar system will determine what percentage you are eligible for. There is no cap on the claim amount.

Talking to your local Burlington solar panel installation expert is the best way to understand how the ITC could apply to your situation.

The ITC has been renewed and expanded following the passage of the Inflation Reduction Act in August 2022. It's also now called the Clean Energy Credit. The new Clean Energy Credit now runs until 2035. American homeowners can now receive a 30% credit for solar systems installed between 2022 and 2032. This new credit will then be decreased by a few percentage points every year until the date of expiration. The program expansion also makes claiming credit for energy storage systems easier than ever before, starting in 2023.

More information about the new Inflation Reduction Act can be found here. Your local Burlington solar panel installers are the best people to answer your questions regarding the new Clean Energy Credit and how it may apply to you.

State & Local Solar Incentives

Rebates, tax credits and more can be claimed at multiple levels. On top of federal solar incentives, there are often state and local ones, too. These incentives might be given out by your county or municipality, or by the North Carolina government. Some are ongoing, while others are available for a limited time.

Next Steps for Installing Solar in Burlington

The variety of solar incentives available has enormously increased the use of solar power nationwide over the last 15 years. You may receive solar incentives from your local utility company, the North Carolina government or the federal government. Your local Burlington solar panel installation expert can provide you with more details about which incentives you should apply for, and get you feeling good about making the change to renewable energy today.